Dying
by Breezi
Summary: REPOSTED! The original version of this felt a little incomplete to me...so I reedited it. Here's the new one.


**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own _Red Eye _or anything having to do with it. I know. It makes me sad too.

**Author's Note: **Okay, basically, this is an idea for a one shot that I got while I was listening to a song. I couldn't get it out of my head and I knew that if I didn't write it down that I wouldn't be able to concentrate on any of my other stories. So, here it is. Hope you like it. Let me know what you think!

**Dying**

**By: Breezi**

Lisa sat down on the cushioned seat in front of her vanity and freshened up her lipstick. Then, she dabbed her neck with some fresh drops of perfume. Chanel. She smoothed a couple of strands of hair away from her face with two fingers as she examined her face in the mirror. Satisfied with the way she looked, she bent over her legs and slipped into a pair of slingback stilettos. Her eye caught a glint of light reflecting off of the gold band she wore on her left hand and she sat up straight with a sigh. She had been Lisa Hass for nearly two years now and there were times when that ring still seemed to catch her by surprise. Was that normal?

Special Agent Ben Hass was perfect. He had done everything right since the first day that they had met. He said all the right things at exactly the right times. He opened all the doors and pulled out all of the chairs. And he loved her. He really loved her. They had met six months after that _night _on the plane. He was tall and lean with wide shoulders and beautiful gray green eyes. He had close cropped hair and a gorgeous white smile. To top everything off, he was a genuinely nice guy. Her friends loved him, her father loved him, her mother loved him, and she…well, she really cared for him. He was such a good man.

There was a roll of thunder in the sky and she blinked herself out of her thoughts with the sound. Standing up, she picked up her overcoat which she had draped over the top of the bed. She was pulling it onto her shoulders in the living room when the door opened and Ben came walking in. He set down his briefcase and shrugged out of his own jacket.

"Hey, sweetheart," he said, jerking at the knot in his tie, "You going out?"

"Yeah," Lisa replied with a smile, "Me and Cynthia are going to dinner and a movie."

"Well, be careful. It looks like it's really about to start coming down out there."

"I will be." Lisa said, "Don't worry. I shouldn't be home too late."

"All right." Ben said, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him for a sweet gentle kiss. Lisa let him. It was soft. It was quick. It was habit. He dropped his arms from around her and looked down at her, his eyes searching her face. "Tell Cynthia I say hi."

"Okay." Lisa said as she picked up her purse and walked to the door. She glanced at him over her shoulder as she swung the door open. There was something in his eyes when he had looked at her just then. He knew. He knew how she felt and it was killing him. She was killing him. She had felt it for a while now. Every time she left the house, she knew that she hurt him a little bit more.

Twenty minutes later, she walked up the stairs one at a time. It had started to rain outside just as she had walked into the apartment complex. Part of her was still thinking about Ben's eyes and how sad they had been. The thought disappeared though as she turned her key in the lock and pushed open the door.

"Hello?" she called to the darkened room as she closed the door. She set her bag down on the counter and shrugged out of her overcoat. "Hello?" she called again. No answer.

There was something sitting at the edge of the counter, so she walked over to get a closer look. What she saw made her eyes widen. An open jewelry box sat there. Inside of it was a pair of perfect sparkling small teardrop shaped diamond earrings. She touched the corner of the velvet box with her fingers.

"Do you like them?"

Lisa jumped slightly at the sound of the familiar raspy voice in her ear. His arms encircled her from behind and she could feel his warm breath on her neck as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Of course, I do." She said, turning her face toward his.

"I knew you would." He said seductively against her skin just before his lips found that sensitive place just behind her jaw line as they had so many times before.

Lisa turned in his arms and arched her neck; opening herself up to him; giving him better access. God, he smelled good. He always smelled so good.

"Chanel." He commented about her own scent and she smiled.

"I know it's your favorite."

He lifted away from her neck and looked down at her. Lisa touched his cheek with her hand, pressing the pad of her thumb to his full lips. His eyes never ceased to make her heart skip a beat. They were just so bright and clear and blue. Like the ocean reflecting the sky. She wanted to drown in them. He pulled her hand away from his face and cupped the back of her head before covering her mouth possessively with his own. When he kissed her, he didn't just kiss her. It was like he was trying to devour her; like he was greedily trying to drink in every ounce of her. When he kissed her, it was like he was worshiping her.

He walked her backwards into the bedroom, the two of them peeling each other's clothes off as they went. They toppled into the bed, never once losing contact with each other's skin. He pinned her wrists above her head, pulled her hair, sank his teeth into her neck. He was never gentle. He knew that wasn't what she wanted. In the morning she would have new bruises that she wouldn't be able to explain, so she wouldn't try to. She moved against him, hard and fast, matching his rhythm. Dug her fingernails into the muscles of his back, bit down on his shoulders. He drew sounds from within her, tiny whimpers that expressed only the most primitive of pleasures. His hand rested on her throat as he recaptured her lips between his own.

And then she took control; her body moving on top of his with a hunger and a need and a passion like she had known with no other man. His fingertips grazed the delicate skin of her back, guiding her motions, urging her to go faster. Lightening flashed in the window as the storm raged with a fury outside. Likewise, they rolled back and forth beneath the Egyptian cotton sheets, raging against each other, fighting for dominance.

She had been married to Ben for two years, but it was only with this man that she had ever found solace. _His _touch was the only one that could make her shiver all throughout her body. _His _kiss was the only one that could set her skin on fire. _His _voice was the only one that could make her heart pound up through her chest. Sometimes, it seemed like she couldn't breathe until _he _was inside of her.

She yearned for him. The core of her being craved his presence. The world felt so stifled; so suffocating. But everything seemed clear when he was with her. Just by being in the same room with him, life seemed better. She had blinders on when it came to him. She didn't see what her friends might say, she didn't care what her parents would think of her choice of partners, she only saw him.

When the end came, he collapsed on top of her; both of them trembling, panting, and covered in sweat. Then, they laid there with each other, for what would never feel like long enough, his arms wrapped around her, holding her to him protectively. Like he never wanted to let her go. She lay there, her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, could feel the slow steady rhythm of his breathing, the tips of his fingers playing with her hair. All of these things comforted her on a level that she had never known existed. Finally, Lisa moved to get out of bed.

"Stay." Jackson said, catching her arm, "Stay the night."

"You know I can't." she responded, standing up.

Jackson raised himself to his knees on the bed and caught her again, pulling her against him once again. His eyes bore into hers, clouded over with lust and promises and other things. Things that she dare not dream out loud. Things that he should not be offering to her.

"I have to go, Jackson." She said, trying to push away from him.

Every logical part of her brain told her that this was wrong. Being here was wrong. Being near him was wrong. But when she wasn't with him, her body ached from the longing to have him touch her again. Was life supposed to be so hard? Was happiness supposed to feel so wrong? Was it supposed to hurt so much?

He threw her back down on the bed and pinned her with his body. Lisa struggled against his hold as he lowered himself to her, trailing deliciously sinful kisses over her neck and collarbone. Lisa told herself that she had to make him stop and fought harder against him, but her mind had started to fog. She couldn't remember how long she had struggled before her legs wrapped around his narrow hips, her hands twisted into his hair, and she had started to kiss him back. Round two.

An hour or so later, Lisa pulled on her shoe with Jackson watching her from his position on the bed. She smoothed her hands down over her clothes, took a deep breath, and turned to face him.

"This has to be the last time, Jackson."

He smirked, "You say that every time."

"This time, I mean it." She said, pulling his key from her pocket and setting it on his dresser. She had said it a million times before. This was the last time. But like a junkie, she had always come back for one more hit. Jackson had pulled on a pair of sweatpants and was on his feet. "I have to go."

With minimal effort, he caught her by the arm before she was out of the bedroom. "Leese…" he began.

"I'm married, Jackson." She breathed, unable to bring herself to look at him. Her eyes already beginning to tear up, "I am married."

"Yeah, to an FBI agent." Jackson growled, his grip tightening on her arm, "You think I don't know that that was to get back at me?"

She looked up at him, chin quivering, tears already staining her cheeks. Jackson's face softened as he looked at her. He brought his hand to her face and used his thumb to brush away some of the tears. No. No. If he did much more of that, she would stay. She knew she would. Living would be so much easier if she could just forget that Jackson Rippner ever existed. She could be happy with Ben…couldn't she?

"I have to go." She said with determination, twisting her arm away from him, she ran for the door. Just as she opened it, his arm stretched out from behind her and pushed it closed again. She went to turn to face him, but he pinned her to the door, pressing the length of his body against he back. He spoke into her ear, his face pressed against hers.

"Don't do this, Leese." He whispered, "Don't end this. It's all we have."

Lisa's words came in restrained sobs, "But, it hurts."

"To be with me?"

"_No!_" she rasped, barely in control of her voice, "Don't you see? Every time I come here, it gets harder and harder to leave."

He leaned away from her, and she immediately missed the warmth of his body. He kept his arms braced against the door so she couldn't open it. She slowly turned to face him.

"Then, stay." He said. He just stated it. As if it was as simple as that.

"I _can't_." Lisa said, shaking her head.

"I can take you away from here."

"Don't say that."

"You know I could."

"Don't."

"Why not?"

"Because, it's too tempting."

"Lisa." He said her name. Oh, how she loved it when he said her name. He touched her neck and brought his lips gently to hers. His kiss was soft and warm and heated her to her very core just as every other kiss he had ever given her had.

When the kiss broke, her eyes fluttered open to gaze directly up into his. Once again, she longed for those beautiful rich pools to pull her in and encompass her in their blue depths. He rested his forehead against hers and held her trapped with the intensity of his stare. Then, he held up his hand for her to see, holding between his thumb and forefinger an offering…a key. The key she had tried to give back to him. _Her _key.

The next morning…

Lisa sat at her vanity, getting herself ready for work. Ben stood on the other side of the room, getting dressed as well. Lisa tied her hair back and put in her earrings.

"Those are pretty." Ben said, admiring the diamonds, "Where did you get those?"

Lisa studied his reflection in the mirror for a moment before standing up.

"My dad got them for me." She said, picking up a small silver key from the top of the vanity and dropping it into her purse.

Ben nodded and went on tying his tie, but Lisa saw it. There in his eyes. He died a little bit more. If only he could understand that she was dying a little every moment she was away from Jackson. She should just leave him. It was what she wanted to do. She should leave, but she couldn't bear the thought of hurting him more than she already was. She needed to leave. He knew that she wanted to. Yes, he knew. He knew that his wife was only happy when she was in the arms of another man, and it killed him a little more every day. But, if he had known who that man was…if he ever found out that it was the man that he and his agency had been hunting for more than seven years, it would kill him all at once.

"Are you _working _late tonight?" he asked, looking at her, his eyes pleading for her to say no. Begging her to say that she was going to come home and spend time with him.

Lisa sat on the edge of the bed and slipped on her shoes. She knew what he wanted to hear; what he needed to hear. He wanted his wife to come home and be with her husband. Should she lie to him to spare his feelings now, and destroy them later? What was the right thing to do? Was she supposed to sacrifice herself for him; for this man that she loved…as she would love a very dear friend?

"I don't know." She answered. It was the lesser lie. She knew that she wouldn't be home early or on time for that matter.

"I've been thinking that we should talk." Ben said.

"About what?"

"Kids."

Lisa stopped what she was doing and looked up at him, still hunched over with her hands at her ankles, "We've talked about kids before."

"I think we should talk about it again." He went on, "I think we're ready."

No, Lisa thought, you think that it'll solve all of our problems. You think it will make me leave him. He didn't realize that if she ever got pregnant, she would pray for that child to come out with crystalline blue eyes. Lisa stood up, keeping her eyes on his. His face looked so hopeful. Was she a monster that she could knowingly put him through this agony?

"I have to go to work." She said.

As she walked out the door to get to her car, there was only one word that could describe the way that Ben looked. Resigned. His shoulders slumped, his head hung down, he pushed his fingers back through his hair. Lisa paused and realized what it was. Defeat. She had just witnessed her husband officially surrender. He had just given up on the marriage that she had known was wrong since she said 'I do'. Why had she done that to him? She had never meant to. She didn't want to hurt him anymore. She walked out the door, determined that she would give him back his life.

When she got to work, there was a bouquet of a dozen long stemmed white roses waiting for her. White roses were her favorites, which told her who they were from. Ben was a classic kind of guy. He would have sent red. She plucked the card out of the center and examined the neat handwriting.

_We could be in Paris in time to watch the sunrise…_

**The End**

**Author's Note: **So, I lied. This was actually inspired by two songs. The obvious on is "Unfaithful". Cookies to anyone who can guess what the other one is. Thanks for bearing with me for this one. I just couldn't ignore it. Please, please, please, let me know what you thought of this one. Pretty please!


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